When the world was young in the Dreamtime, there was a young man and a young woman, who loved each other very much. They had played together as children, and like all children, they fought and argued as the grew up. But now they loved one another so much that the young man refused to leave the camp, even to go hunting with the other men, because that would mean he would have to leave his beloved behind.
One day the young girls' father told the young man that he could not marry his daughter, because he was still only a boy, with none of the skills of a man. They argued loudly and at length.
"How can you call yourself a man if you cannot hunt or even throw a spear?" said the father.
"You wait! I will prove to you that I am a man, who is worthy of your daughter!" promised the young man.
With that, he went into the bush, taking his spear and boomerang, determined that he would learn to track and to hunt and to catch his own food. He would then go back, being the best tracker, the best hunter and the best spear-thrower in the entire land. It took the young man many years to learn these skills. He was away for a long, long time before he was ready to return to his people.
The young girl had grown into a very beautiful woman, but while the young man was away, she had been promised to another. The young man wanted to fight for the right to marry her, but he knew that he could not fight against all of the men of his people. Instead he decided to wait.
Soon there was a great celebration with plenty of food, music and dancing. The young man knew that this would be his only chance. While everybody was busy celebrating, he and the young woman slipped out of the camp together and escaped into the bush. As nobody saw them slip out of the camp, nobody chased them. However, the young man knew that they had broken the law and that the men of his people would try to track them down to punish them.
The young man and the young woman, who loved one another very much, travelled a long way. They travelled so far that they came to the edge of the land, where the great sea began. Exhausted, they could go no further. They decided to stop for the night and camped near a stream that flowed into the sea. However, the next morning, as the first rays of sunlight appeared, the young man and woman were spotted by their people. They knew that they were trapped.
"We must stay together always. If we cannot live here and live together, then we will leave the land and go to live in the water." they both said.
The young man then changed himself and the young woman into two fish - two Barramundi fish. As they dived into the water, their people rushed at them, throwing rocks and spears to punish the two lawbreakers. Some of the spears struck the two young lovers and to this very day, the spikes on the back of the Barramundi are a reminder of what happened in the Dreamtime. This is also one of the reasons that fish can only live in water and can never come back to live on the land again.
Once you have read the story, you can use this document to complete a reading comprehension task. When you finish this task, please e-mail your answers to your Australian Partner Student, who will correct this for you!
The First Barramundi
One day the young girls' father told the young man that he could not marry his daughter, because he was still only a boy, with none of the skills of a man. They argued loudly and at length.
"How can you call yourself a man if you cannot hunt or even throw a spear?" said the father.
"You wait! I will prove to you that I am a man, who is worthy of your daughter!" promised the young man.
With that, he went into the bush, taking his spear and boomerang, determined that he would learn to track and to hunt and to catch his own food. He would then go back, being the best tracker, the best hunter and the best spear-thrower in the entire land. It took the young man many years to learn these skills. He was away for a long, long time before he was ready to return to his people.
The young girl had grown into a very beautiful woman, but while the young man was away, she had been promised to another. The young man wanted to fight for the right to marry her, but he knew that he could not fight against all of the men of his people. Instead he decided to wait.
Soon there was a great celebration with plenty of food, music and dancing. The young man knew that this would be his only chance. While everybody was busy celebrating, he and the young woman slipped out of the camp together and escaped into the bush. As nobody saw them slip out of the camp, nobody chased them. However, the young man knew that they had broken the law and that the men of his people would try to track them down to punish them.
The young man and the young woman, who loved one another very much, travelled a long way. They travelled so far that they came to the edge of the land, where the great sea began. Exhausted, they could go no further. They decided to stop for the night and camped near a stream that flowed into the sea. However, the next morning, as the first rays of sunlight appeared, the young man and woman were spotted by their people. They knew that they were trapped.
"We must stay together always. If we cannot live here and live together, then we will leave the land and go to live in the water." they both said.
The young man then changed himself and the young woman into two fish - two Barramundi fish. As they dived into the water, their people rushed at them, throwing rocks and spears to punish the two lawbreakers. Some of the spears struck the two young lovers and to this very day, the spikes on the back of the Barramundi are a reminder of what happened in the Dreamtime. This is also one of the reasons that fish can only live in water and can never come back to live on the land again.
Once you have read the story, you can use this document to complete a reading comprehension task. When you finish this task, please e-mail your answers to your Australian Partner Student, who will correct this for you!